1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to vehicle lift systems. More particularly, the invention concerns a down stop for a vehicle lift system and a down stop indicator capable of alerting a user of the vehicle lift system as to an engagement status of the down stop.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The need to lift a vehicle from the ground for service work is well established. For instance, it is often necessary to lift a vehicle for tire rotation or replacement, steering alignment, oil changes, brake inspections, exhaust work, and other automotive maintenance. Traditionally, lifting a vehicle has been accomplished through the use of equipment that is built-into a service facility, such as either lift units with hydraulic actuator(s) installed below the surface of the floor or two and four-post type lift systems installed on the floor surface. These built-in units are located at a fixed location at the service facility and adapted to engage a vehicle frame to lift the vehicle from the ground.
In an effort to increase the versatility and mobility of lift devices and to reduce the need to invest in permanently mounted lifting equipment, devices commonly known as a mobile column lifts (MCLS) have been developed. Prior MCL systems often employed safety down stops to selectively prevent the vehicle lifts from vertically actuating downward when in use. As such, the safety down stops act as safety features by ensuring that the lifts are restricted from unsafe vertical movement. For instance, if an MCL system has been used to vertically lift a vehicle and a user is working under the lifted vehicle, with the safety down stops of the lifts engaged, the user can be assured that the lifts will not vertically lower the vehicle while the user is underneath the vehicle or underneath the lifts. Nevertheless, safety down stops on prior MCL systems are generally integrated internally, within the housings of the lifts or on a front-side of the lifts. As such, it may not be readily apparent to users of such MCL systems as to whether the safety down stops are engaged or disengaged and/or whether the vehicle will inadvertently lower while the user is underneath it.
An example of a prior art vehicle lifts included in such MCL systems is the prior art vehicle lift 22 illustrated in FIGS. 1-3. The vehicle lift 22 illustrated in FIG. 1-3 is similar to vehicle lifts described in U.S. Patent App. Publ. No. 2013/0240300, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The prior art vehicle lift 22 broadly includes a base 30, a post 32, a carriage assembly 34, a lift actuator 36, and a main housing 38. The base 30 supports the lift 22 on the floor or the ground. The post 32 is rigidly coupled to the base 30 and extends upwardly therefrom. The carriage assembly 34 is configured to engage a wheel of a vehicle and is vertically shiftable relative to the post 32. The lift actuator 36 is received in the post 32 and is operable to vertically raise and lower the carriage assembly 34 relative to the post 32 and the base 30. With emphasis on FIG. 1, the main housing 38 is attached to the post 32 and encloses many of the components of that make up the control and power systems of the lift 22. The main housing 38 may also include a removable access panel 40 for providing access to various components of the lift's 22 control and power systems.
It is noted that prior art lifts, such as lift 22 illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, generally include a plurality of down stop lugs 42 positioned on a front-side of the lift 22. As used herein the phrase “front-side” refers to a vehicle-facing side of a lift, whereas a phrase “back-side” refers to a non-vehicle-facing side of a lift. As is perhaps best illustrated in FIG. 3, the down stop lugs 42 are generally configured to engage with a down stop catch assembly 44 associated with the carriage assembly 34. As such, when the carriage assembly 34 is raised vertically, the down stop catch assembly 44 can consecutively engage with the spaced apart down stop lugs 42 on the front-side of the lift 22. Because the down stop lugs 42 and catch assembly 44 are positioned on the front-side (i.e., the vehicle-facing side) of the lift 22, it may not be readily apparent whether or not the down stop catch assembly 44 is engaged with the down stop lugs 42, particularly when the lift 22 is lifting a vehicle and the vehicle interferes with a view of the front-side of the lift 22. Furthermore, manufacturing down stop lugs 42 and the catch assembly 44 on the front-side of the lifts, such as illustrated on the prior art lift 22 of FIGS. 1-3, is difficult, time-consuming, and expensive.
Accordingly, there remains a need for a vehicle lift system with a down stop indicator that is easily viewable by a user of the lift system, such that a user of the lift system can readily determine whether the down stop is engaged or disengaged.